We did the whale shark swim in shoulder season on October 10th. The crew were Lorena, Jordy, Joley, Chelsea and skipper Tom. They did a great job of making sure we all knew what to expect and how to be safe in the water and get the most out of the experience. We started with a snorkel in the lagoon over a patch of reef and saw lots of different colourful fish. Being shoulder season we knew that it would be a gamble as to whether we actually saw a whale shark and the crew did a good job of managing our expectations in that regard. We were lucky though and the spotter plane found a whale shark for us to swim with. It was an amazing experience, we were in two groups and the crew made sure everyone who wanted to had a good chance to swim with the shark. The first time can be a bit overwhelming because you have to get in and swim quickly and it all happens very fast. If you go in and are feeling overwhelmed after the first time I definitely recommend going in again if you have a chance, you'll feel calmer the second time and be able to take it in more. We got to go in three times total and then afterwards went for another snorkel back in the lagoon and saw a turtle and a stingray and lots of fish. We also saw dolphins and humpbacks on the water so we were very fortunate.
The crew were really excellent, they were all very friendly and really committed to making sure everyone had a good experience. They were very approachable to ask questions and gave us some interesting facts about the reef and the marine life through the day. The food on board was also really nice and plenty to go around through the day. I felt very safe the whole time despite being in the open ocean in slightly choppy water and not being able to see the bottom! My friend is not a confident swimmer and had only snorkelled once before and even he was able to get in and see the shark and feel safe and comfortable doing so. They have pool noodles you can take in if you aren't a strong swimmer and there's an experienced guide with you the whole time who can help you out if you're struggling.

Thanks Ningaloo Discovery for an excellent day on the water to cap off our trip to Exmouth!